Naivedya

Naivedya

नैवेद्य, naivedya

Sacred food offered to Deity (murti, image, yantra, Shivalingam, etc.) during puja ritual in a temple, house, and sacred place.

Naivedya symbolizes the element (tattva) of water, which is associated with taste.

Different forms of God have certain preferences regarding type of food, which is prepared specifically as upachara (without tasting in advance). Fruits, various sweets, and cooked food often serve as offerings. For example, in Nath puja, during the worship of Guru Gorakhnath, roti (bread tortillas) and milk are offered.

It is a rare phenomenon now when  animals are offered as naivedya, however it can take place during the worship of Goddess Kali.

Naivedya is shown to the Deity (murti) during the offering and then placed nearby, for example, on an altar. Sometimes it is raised to the mouth of Deity and then placed close by. Naivedya’s offering may be performed as a single act or consist of several oblations, sometimes accompanied by the ringing of a bell.

On special events or large calendar holidays, the Deities are regaled with maha-naivedya – festive food.

When performing manasa-puja (veneration carried out in the mind), naivedya, like all other upacharas, is visualized and mentally presented to the Deity.

After the offering, naivedya becomes prasad (what we receive from God, his mercy) and is eaten at the end of the ritual by those who performed the ritual (pujari) and given to other people, including those present during the puja. Prasad should not be thrown away or spoiled. If some part of the prasad accidentally falls on the floor, it is considered as an offering to spirits and it is no longer eaten.